The Economy, Regeneration & Climate Change Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 6 March 2025 to consider a range of important issues, including a call-in regarding Stockport's housing management arrangements, an update on the Draft Stockport Local Plan, and the Greater Manchester Clean Air Update. The committee also reviewed proposals for the expansion of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation and a draft report on district and local centres.

Call-in of Executive Decision CAB519 - Independent Review of Stockport's Housing Management Arrangements

The committee was scheduled to consider the call-in of executive decision CAB519, concerning the Independent Review of Stockport's Housing Management Arrangements. This decision had been called in by Councillors Asa Caton, David Meller, and Claire Vibert. The report pack indicated that the review, conducted by Deloitte, found Stockport Homes Group (SHG) to be a high-performing organisation overall, but identified areas for improvement in governance, member oversight, and addressing disparities in performance across different neighbourhoods. The review recommended retaining the current Arms-Length Management Organisation (ALMO) model but with closer strategic alignment and enhanced member scrutiny. The report also detailed proposed priority actions, including strengthening strategic alignment between the Council and SHG, identifying resources for a strategic review of the housing portfolio, and enhancing member direction and oversight at all levels.

Draft Stockport Local Plan Update

An update was scheduled to be provided on the Draft Stockport Local Plan. The report pack indicated that this would be a verbal report, with no specific details available in the provided documents regarding the content of the update.

Greater Manchester Clean Air Update

The committee was set to consider a report on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan. The report detailed the government's acceptance of an investment-led, non-charging approach to achieving compliance with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels, meaning a charging Clean Air Zone (CAZ) would not be implemented. The plan includes significant investment in bus upgrades, local traffic management measures, and support for the taxi fleet to transition to cleaner vehicles. The report also outlined the implications of this decision, including the removal or repurposing of existing clean air signage and the utilisation of government funding.

Proposal to Consult on the Expansion of the Boundary of Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation

A report was presented outlining the process for expanding the boundary of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC). The MDC was established in 2019 to drive regeneration in Town Centre West and has since achieved significant progress in delivering new homes and employment space. The proposal was to expand the MDC's remit to cover the entirety of the town centre, aligning with the Council's One Stockport, One Future plan. The report detailed the legislative process for designating a new Mayoral development area, which includes consultation with various stakeholders.

Draft Final Report of the Scrutiny Review Panel - District and Local Centres - Best Practice and Building Upon It

The committee was scheduled to consider the draft final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel on District and Local Centres. The review, which involved engagement with local businesses and stakeholders, aimed to identify best practices for supporting the vibrancy of Stockport's district centres and assess how these could be applied to other centres across the borough. Key findings highlighted the positive impact of events, greening projects, and markets, as well as the importance of business collaboration and addressing vacant units. The report recommended the development of a dedicated online information portal for businesses, the introduction of a councillor 'playbook', and continued support for events and landlord engagement.

Work Programme

The committee was also scheduled to consider its work programme, which details future agenda items and forward plan items within the committee's remit. This included a review of various reports and updates on ongoing council initiatives.